Life After the Walls Have Fallen
by blackbluenezumi
Summary: Shion together with his parents and Inukashi, raised the baby boy he rescued three years ago. And in those years, he had never seen this certain guy-Nezumi. Is reunion possible between these two? And when they both cross each other's paths again, what could possibly happen with their lives?
1. Chapter 1 - Nezumi's Return

Chapter 1: Return of the Black Blue Haired Guy Named Nezumi

It was yet another quiet year for Shion. Well, not quite peaceful, though. It has been three whole years since that day that the guy he adored so much turned his back on him after giving him a farewell kiss. _"Farewell kiss, huh?"_, Shion thought in his mind, mocking himself for missing that black blue haired male that he had never beaten, especially in the height show-off. And ever since, he had never caught even just a glimpse of his shadow. He had no single clue as to where he was now. The thought made him sigh then flashbacks of him and Nezumi suddenly flashed in his mind.

The fights they had over small and petty things and the several times that they danced. The few chances he had heard Nezumi's calming and soothing singing voice. And those times when he would squish himself into Eve's crowd only to watch him act. All those lecture hours he got from him, all the dangers they had faced. Even every minute—every second they were together—stayed crystal clear in his mind as if it was made only to store his memories with him—with Nezumi.

His trailed off thoughts were directed back into the right path as a tan-haired kid sprinted towards him. The tiny body eagerly made its way through the grassy and rocky road while his face radiated a positive, happy aura. His thin, pinkish lips suddenly curved into a small smile as he heard the kid's small voice call to him. "Papa~!", it always said. It had been his reaction to this kid ever since he learned to say such a word.

Shion spread wide his loving arms and caught the small figure of Shiozumi in it. He was the baby that they saved three years ago during the pre-Holy Day Cleaning Operation—the kid that had lost his mother in the selfish acts of No. 6 officials. The kid was named after both Nezumi and Shion by the latter's sole decision. It may have been because he considered the kid as his own son and he wanted his pair to be Nezumi or because they were the ones who saw and saved the kid. The elders suspect it was the first one but Inukashi argued that it was the latter. Shion earned a hearty chuckle from the ever-so-energetic kid and a tight embrace as to return the warmth back to him.

"What is it, Iozu?" asked by the 'Father' between the two. 'Iozu' was the nickname given to the kid since if it would only be 'Shio' or 'Zumi', it would pertain only to one person. His thoughtful mother was the one behind that bright idea. Another reason of this was the nickname 'Zumi' only made him miss the guy it pertains to more.

"I have just played with Karan and her brother! It was so much fun, Papa~!" the little boy told him. Joy and cheerfulness clear in the kid's small, baby voice. Iozu continued his little 'storytelling' whilst Shion's mind wandered back into the past. His past with the person he longed to see again.

Hearing the word 'play' didn't do him any good. It was supposed to catch his attention and make him listen to the kid's story but the opposite happened. After hearing the word, he remembered the snowy nights when he played with Nezumi in the worn-out and aged playground. His mind recalled how fun it was and the warmth it gave his heart despite the harsh, cold weather. That warm feeling called happiness—it was what kept his blood from freezing then.

"Papa~! Papa~~!" was the angry scream that woke him up from daydreaming again. He turned and faced the kid that he was carrying. "What was it that you said?" he asked the kid in a slightly shy way with a matching blush on his cheeks. Shion felt bad for not paying attention to his son's story.

The reply he got was a cute pout on the kid's tiny lips and a scolding of, "You didn't listen to me again, did you?!" with a glare in his eyes. Iozu was obviously pissed and angry at him for ignoring him and fleeting away into his own world. Shion bit his lower lip and scolded himself in his mind.

A soft and apologetic chuckle was all that Shion could offer. He couldn't possibly confess to Iozu that he never really paid attention to his little talk. His eyes and lips curved to form an understanding eyesmile when the kid crossed his tiny arms over his chest and look at him as if he did a grave mistake. _"I am dead."_He thought as he saw how mad his kid was.

"Is it my other Papa you were thinking?" the kid asked curiously with a raised brow. Back when Shiozumi was younger, he, Inukashi, and his parents—Karan and Rikiga often told him about Nezumi. About how smart, cool, arrogant, talented, artistic, creative, protective and caring the latter was. The questions that most often followed those kinds of stories were, "Do you love him, Papa?" and "Where is he now?"

In his mind, Shion always answered 'yes' for the first question and 'I wish I know' for the second one. But he always replied a sad sigh. He really could just wish he knew where he was. Only then will his heart be filled with relief. And then one certain time, Shiozumi's little voice declared that he will call the stranger his 'other Papa' since it seemed to him that Nezumi was close to everyone—especially to Shion.

That was then—another flashback. And what Shion didn't know was that he flew into his own world again. _"Shoot!"_ he thought to himself whilst his eyes slowly widen as he had realized what he was doing. _"I dwelled into my past again!"_ he thought, alarmed.

Iozu squinted his tiny eyes then pinched his father's cheeks and stretched it to wake him up once again. "Hey Papa~!" he said, irritation clear in his voice. The kid continued his punishment upon his father until he was sure he was back into reality.

Shion's soft facial features were distorted in slight pain. "Ow! Ow~ ow~", he groaned as he rub his reddened cheeks. "What was that for?!" he asked while wearing a frown, his tone adorned with slight accusation. The older boy puffed his cherry red cheeks as if to put it back to its original shape.

"That was for not listening to me and for spacing out while I was telling you my story~!" the angry little guy blurted out with puffed cheeks. If he was already mad before, he was all seriously irritated now. The angry fire in the kid's narrowed eyes glared brighter.

The surprised look in his face slowly faded and softened as he heard out Iozu's reason for his action, and he knew he was right. He smiled to the kid and voiced out his apologies before he let the latter's feet touch the ground and lead him inside their humble home—Nezumi's home.

Three years ago, when Nezumi decided not to come back, he argued that he took over his place and look after it until he came home. And it has been three long years since then and he still hoped—somehow—to see his soft and girly face. His black blue hair and silvery eyes. And all the traits of that guy that he looks up to—the guy he secretly loved. But as time flew, so did Shion's hope for Nezumi's comeback.

He listened attentively to the kid's story as they walked over the grass and towards their base. An eyesmile was what was plastered on his face as his story went on. _"He looks happy.",_ his mind said as he heard his full story which seemed to be filled with so much fun and excitement that were evident in the kid's positive aura and loud, cute laughs and chuckles that made him do the same.

It was a bit past noon when Iozu approached him in the playground. "_He must be hungry."_ Shion thought as he looked at the kid while he played with Hamlet. He was cooking lunch for them when he jolted in pain as his finger touched the side of the stove. "AH!" he exclaimed and sucked his injured finger to somehow ease the pain.

"You're such an airhead," he heard a voice said. No, it wasn't just one voice. _"It's Iozu's voice and…"_ His eyes widened at the possibility that the other voice was from the one he very much missed.

_"…Nezumi's."_


	2. Chapter 2 - Welcome Home, Nezumi

Chapter 2 : Welcome Home, Nezumi

"Nezumi!" Shion said as he turned excitedly to face the door from where the voice came. And there he was, in his usual dark jacket and worn- out pants and the superfiber cloth that had always been wrung around his neck like a scarf. That cool pair of silvery gray eyes. And his soft black blue hair that seemed way too longer. _"Nezumi!"_ his mind screamed but all he could do was give him a smile. _"It's him! I can never be mistaken! It's Eve! It's Eve!" _Shion's mind continued to cheer.

"That's so unlike you, Shion," the newcomer said with a smug smile on his lips as he crossed three fourth of the distance between them. "Knowing you, I bet in your mind, you're hugging and shaking me like crazy, right?" he continued as he lowered his face close to the shorter male's. The latter noticed distinct changes on the older lad's face as he saw it up close. His features have gone sharper yet his girly face never faded. _"Suits him,"_ he thought.

But his eyes slowly widened at the dark haired male's sudden actions. He just learned that he came back by showing up on the doorstep. And now he's saying things as if he really knew him, like he could see through his strong facade. As if he had always known how Shion felt for him. However, he continued to act all innocent to cover up his feelings from his sight. "W-what are you saying, Nezumi?" he denied and pretended like he was unable to make the sudden events sink in his mind.

"Oh, come on, no need to hide it, Shion~ you do know I missed you too, right?" he continued to annoy him by moving closer to him and looking teasingly at him. But he suddenly stopped after he noticed the kid that was sitting on his bed and staring at him from the very moment he stepped a foot in the room. Nezumi inched away from Shion then walked towards the kid and looked intently at him. He asked with a twitched brow, "Who are you?"

Iozu's eyes blinked in surprise as the eldest of the three laid his attention to him. He stared at him with curiosity greatly evident in his eyes. "I-I'm Sh-shio... Shiozumi..." he answered with a stuttered voice, clearly uncomfortable with the whole situation. His eyes blinked once more and he tilted his head as recognition slowly registered on the newcomer's face.

"Ah. You must be that kid. Am I right, Shion?" Nezumi muttered with a teasing grin as he shifted his eyes to Shion that made the latter tilt his head in confusion. Slowly though, he seemed to understand what he just said. His eyes widened and his cheeks suddenly burned bright red. "I'm not that kind of person! And Iozu isn't that kind of kid either!" he exclaimed and waved the unwanted thought off his mind by shaking his head.

Nezumi burst into laughter after seeing Shion's reaction to what he said. "That took you long to understand, airhead." He commented with the last word stressed mockingly while laughing softly then he stopped and took a long glance at the kid before he ruffled his hair with an eyesmile on his face. "I bet you're pretty healthy and polite, knowing that you were taken care of and raised by that airhead of a man."

"Well, I'll never be sorry for being a caring person and a good parent to my kid." Shion defended proudly with his head held up high as he finished cooking. He had a proof for what he just blurted out. Ever since Iozu became part of their lives, he had done everything he could do for the kid even though he always wanted to stick with his mom—Inukashi. Whenever he got sick or had even the tiniest injury, Shion would always worry and tend to him right away. That is, despite their lack of blood relations.

The kid's tensed body seemed to relax and the heavy atmosphere was lifted the moment Nezumi flashed his rare eyesmile. Iozu nodded in agreement to what Nezumi stated. "You bet I am! It's Shion Papa after all," the kid said proudly with a cute chuckle that made his father stretch his lips into a smile. Iozu added, "But it wasn't just Papa who took care of me."

Nezumi tilted his head and looked at the wall as he thought about what the little kid said. _"It must be Inukashi."_ he thought and shrugged then turned his gaze back onto the kid in front of him. "Who were the others that helped your Papa?" Nezumi asked the kid with very little curiosity. He didn't actually want to know, he just felt the need to ask the kid since he looked as if he wanted to share more. And so, he had given Iozu a chance.

"As I grew up, I learned that the one I have called 'Mama' was named Inukashi and that she got it from her job as a dog keeper. Then there's my grandmother, Karan, Shion Papa's beautiful mom and that guy named Rikiga that turned out to be my grandma's husband. But he's not Shion Papa's dad, right? They don't look alike." the little kid said and the response he got from his small audience was an eyesmile from his papa and a suppressed laugh from his other papa.

"R-Rikiga did w-what...?" Nezumi asked then suddenly burst out laughing. He laughed so much that it seemed like his stomach hurt because he was holding it. The lad with a girly face would stop only to catch his breath then laugh again as if he had just heard the best joke ever. Nezumi took long to calm himself after hearing the news that he didn't notice the visitors that popped the door open.

"Watch it, Eve!" The biggest of the newcomers warned the laughing boy sharply. "Don't think that I don't know what you're thinking of right now." Rikiga continued with an angry glare that made Nezumi seize laughing but curve his lips into a mocking grin. The man didn't change, except that grew his hair just like how long it was in the picture of him and Karan ages ago. He entered then leaned his back against the wall while his eyes kept glaring at Nezumi.

"Yo, Nezumi!" Inukashi greeted with a grin and cold stare as she walked in after. "It's been a while, "she added. The last time they had seen each other was that day when she and Rikiga decided to abandon both Nezumi and Shion inside the fallen correctional facility. She, like Shion, hadn't known where he was the whole three years he was away. Not even with the help of her dogs_. "He had hidden himself well,"_ she thought. Her eyes widened as Iozu jumped off the bed and ran towards her.

"Mama! " Iozu screamed happily as he sprinted towards his mom. The kid jumped onto Inukashi whereas she caught the kid in her arms. Her cheeks blushed as red as cherries, still not used with being called 'Mama" even after three years. Inukashi flashed an awkward eyesmile as the kid rubbed his cheek against hers. This was how Iozu have always greeted his mom. When he was just a year old, either he would hold her cheeks tightly or he would hug her and never let go unless he fell asleep. Everyone found it really sweet especially Shion, but Inukashi never seemed to look at it that way. But it never looked as if she hated the affection and contact as well, though.

The last one to enter and greet him was Shion's mom—Karan. The lady barely changed and yet Nezumi looked at her with curious eyes. His brows furrowed as he rummaged through his memory about the woman and then Rikiga's picture with Shion's mom flashed in his mind that made him smile. He stood up straight and bowed next to Karan and said, "You must be Shion's beloved mother whose name is Karan." Nezumi smiled at her, he added, "You're more beautiful in person than in mere photographs."

"Why, thank you," she replied with a tight smile on her lips then bowed slightly to Nezumi as well. "You must be the one who saved my son. Nezumi must be your name, if I'm not mistaken." she assumed. Karan had heard so much about him from his comrades in the years that he was away. Shion mentioned his name countless times to them every day as if he was a tape recorder that only recorded his moments with him or a book wherein the contents talked mostly about the two of them. And after hearing her son's stories about the lad he adored so much, it was easy for her to know who he was.

The black blue haired lad nodded as a response. "I'm surprised you know of me, Ka—". "Oi, Eve!" Rikiga cut in and warned Nezumi with jealousy and irritation written in his eyes then stood next to Karan and placed an arm possessively over his wife's shoulder. "I already let you slip after hitting on Karan's son Shion. I would never forgive you once you do the same with my wife. Don't ever dare to! You can never touch even just a strand of her hair, you understand?!" he threatened with a sharp voice.

"Or else...?" Nezumi challenged as he caught and fought with the elder's gaze with a mocking grin on his lips. In his head, he could hear Rikiga repeating his threats over and over again as if they share some kind of telepathy whilst their eyes continued its 'silent war'. There was again that heavy atmosphere as everyone watched and waited what could've happened next. No one was moving an inch, not even the energetic kid in Inukashi's arms that seemed scared of the men in front of him.

Rikiga stretched an edge of his lip to a grin before he said, "Or else..." Everyone seemed to hold their breath as they waited for Rikiga's answer. They all anticipated how the childish acts of the men will end. Silence then conquered the room for a whole minute at the least before one of them dared to move a muscle, open his mouth and spoke.

"Ahh~ the food is cold already," Shion said senselessly while looking down at the food he cooked earlier. _"It must have been too long since we stood still like idiots here." _he thought with a lopsided smile and an annoyed look on his face that suddenly lifted the heavy atmosphere once again. Meanwhile, all the others were looking at him like he just popped the climax except for his mom who was wearing an eyesmile from the very beginning. Nezumi sighed with an irritated expression, Rikiga face palmed himself and both Iozu and Inukashi shook their heads in unison.

"Airhead," the four disappointed people accused Shion for being such a killjoy. Despite the glares that he received, Shion flashed an eyesmile after turning the stove on again. "Let's wait for a minute, ne? It won't take long to reheat it~" he politely said that made everyone's eyes widen then soften. This was the trait that fascinated both Nezumi and Inukashi. The side of Shion that's senselessly caring and polite despite any situation.

Nezumi took a sit on his bed with a small smile after he did his routine of coating the bed with his superfiber cloth. The others shared the couch and left Shion standing next to the stove while waiting for the food to be heated. Moments after, Shion gave a bowl of 'Macbeth Soup' to each person in the room which they all accepted with a smile on their faces. The snow-white haired lad occupied the space beside the black blue haired one then smiled at him and said, "Welcome home, Nezumi."


End file.
